1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to animal training systems, and, more particularly, to an animal training collar and receiver with multiple configurable correction settings.
2. Description of the Related Art
Stimulus collars for animal training, particularly dog training, are known which can provide a variety of stimuli to the animal to encourage a trained response by the animal, and/or to discourage an inappropriate response. Such stimuli can include electrical, sound and vibrational stimuli, for example. In the case of an electrical stimulus, a collar worn receiver typically includes a pair of electrodes which can deliver the electrical stimulus to a dog's neck. The receiver energizes the electrodes responsive to a transmitter. Examples of such a transmitter can include a remote training transmitter hand operated by a human trainer, a containment transmitter and an avoidance transmitter. For a bark control collar, a collar worn receiver may receive audio or vibration signals from a microphone or transducer attached or connected to the receiver unit or the collar.
When activated by an appropriate signal from a corresponding transmitter or transducer, electrical stimulation is provided to a dog, for example, through the collar worn receiver electrodes which are in contact with some part of the dog's neck. In order to accommodate differences between breeds, individual dog temperament, training conditions, etc., it is advantageous to provide a wide range of possible stimulation, which range is selectable by the trainer. For example, the general difference in coat/skin of one breed versus another breed may provide a general difference in contact resistance, which can generally make a given breed more correctable at a lower electrical stimulation than another breed which has a thicker coat with a downy underlayer, for example. Further, a relatively strong willed dog may require more stimulation for a given training condition than a more amenable dog. Additionally, training conditions can inherently require different degrees of correction. For example, the correction level required by a containment system may inherently be relatively high because, if the animal were to leave the containment area, the animal may pose a risk to itself or others; whereas, an animal entering an avoidance zone, such as a couch inside a home, may only pose an inconvenience or nuisance.
Although the proper use of such electronic collars is a very effective, efficient, and humane way to train or control dogs (or other animals such as monkeys and horses) for a variety of purposes such as: containment in a specified area without the use of physical barriers, avoidance of specific areas, general obedience, bark control, performance trials, hunting, herding, and police work; to be most effective and humane, it is important that electronic stimulus collars are able to reliably and consistently apply an appropriate degree of stimulus to a wide variety of dogs under a wide variety of conditions, and for a wide variety of purposes.
Animal training systems are known which have an adjustable intensity selected by an adjustable intensity control which are typically limited by a relatively few number of correction levels, for example, no correction, very low, low medium, high and very high. However, this relatively few number of correction levels is not adequate for the existing wide variety of dogs with their attendant differences in coat, temperament, etc., under a wide variety of training conditions; nor is it adequate for a variety of other animals. Further, the receivers are not programmable to respond differently to different type of signals.
An animal training system is known which reports the strength of the detected electromagnetic signal to the control unit, and which is programmed to determine a degree of correction to be applied to the animal in response to the separation between the animal and the transmitter. However, this system has relatively few correction levels which it can program, and therefore does not address the need for a relatively large number of correction levels.
What is needed in the art is an animal training system with a relatively high number of configurable correction settings, and preferably, where the correction settings have more than one adjustable parameter.